Reaming device

ABSTRACT

A bone reamer has an ablation device for forming cavities in body tissue, the ablation device is movable with respect to a head of the reamer, and is capable of protruding at least partially beyond a surface of the head. The amount of protrusion the ablation device protrudes beyond the surface of the head has a variable geometry and the geometry is remotely modifiable. More particularly, the amount the ablation device extends beyond the outer surface of a reamer head body can be varied by an actuator located on the reamer outside the body.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.11/805,423, filed on May 23, 2007, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bone reaming device, and inparticular to a bone reaming device having an ablation device with avariable geometry, which geometry is remotely modifiable.

Surgeons are using minimally invasive surgical techniques on anincreasing basis for the treatment of a wide variety of medicalconditions. Such techniques typically involve the insertion of asurgical device through a natural body orifice or through a relativelysmall incision using a tube or cannula. In contrast, conventionalsurgical techniques typically involve a significantly larger incisionand are therefore sometimes referred to as open surgery. Thus, ascompared with conventional techniques, minimally invasive surgicaltechniques offer the advantages of minimizing trauma to healthy tissue,minimizing blood loss, reducing the risk of complications such asinfection, and reducing recovery time. Further, certain minimallyinvasive surgical techniques can be performed under local anaesthesia oreven, in some cases, without anaesthesia, and therefore enables surgeonsto treat patients who would not tolerate the general anaesthesiarequired by conventional techniques.

Surgical procedures often require the formation of a cavity withineither soft or hard tissue, including bone. Tissue cavities are formedfor a wide variety of reasons, such as for the removal of diseasedtissue, for harvesting tissue in connection with a biopsy or autogenoustransplant, and for implant fixation. To achieve the benefits associatedwith minimally invasive techniques, tissue cavities should be formed bycreating only a relatively small access opening in the target tissue. Aninstrument or device then can be inserted through the opening and usedto form a hollow cavity that is significantly larger than the accessopening. Depending on the specific application, the shape of the desiredcavity can be spherical, hemispherical or cylindrical, or any number ofdifferent combinations or variations of such shapes.

A tissue cavitation device and method is, for example, known from US2002/0183758 A1, describing a percutaneous surgical device and methodfor creating a cavity within tissue during a minimally invasiveprocedure. The cavitation device includes a shaft interconnected to aflexible cutting element. The flexible cutting element has a means tomove toward a shape suitable for forming a cavity in tissue.

Further, a surgical rotary abrader is known from US 2003/0083681 A1,describing an apparatus for use as a surgical hand piece including abody, a rotatable shaft extending from the body and including a tissuecontacting component such as a burr, and an outer tube connected to thebody and surrounding at least a portion of the shaft.

However, presently known solutions for a reaming device lack of acapability of tracking particular forms of the cavity to be formed owingto the more or less fixed geometry of the head of such devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It may be seen as one aspect of the present invention to provide areaming device being capable of tracking a particular form of a cavityto be formed, for example, to minimise the dimension of the cavity andto avoid collisions with obstacles, for example, implants.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is provideda reaming device comprising a first shaft, a head having a surface,which head is pivoted or rotatable with respect to the first shaft, anablation device, the ablation device being axially movable with respectto the head and being capable of protruding at least partially beyondthe surface of the head, wherein a protruding amount the ablation deviceprotrudes beyond the surface of the head has the variable geometry andthe geometry is remotely modifiable.

Thus, it is possible to modify the geometry of the head of the reamingdevice during operation without the need to remove the total reamingdevice from the operation location. Owing the known structure and totalgeometry, the protruding geometry may be set without the need to monitorthe present protruding geometry. If, for example, monitored by animaging system like x-ray or computer tomography and the like, it ispossible to modify the geometry of the ablation device in order to moreexactly track a particular form of the cavity to be formed by thereaming device. It is further possible to avoid, for example, acollision of the rotating ablation device with an obstacle. An obstaclemay be, for example, an implant, in particular an intramedullary nail.In particular, by modifying the geometry of the ablation device, it ispossible to modify the diameter of the cavity without the need tomodify, for example, the rotational speed of a head of a reaming device.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the ablationdevice protrudes at least partially beyond the surface of the head withat least a lateral component.

Thus, in particular, the radius of the cavity to be formed may bemodified, so that it is possible to track a particular form of a tubularcavity. The rotational axis in this case may be substantially thelongitudinal axis of the reaming device.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reamingdevice further comprises a second shaft, the second shaft being coupledto the head, wherein the second shaft being pivoted with respect to thefirst shaft and being capable of pivoted driving the head with respectto the first shaft.

Thus, it is possible to remotely modify the geometry of the protrudingamount of the ablation device protruding beyond the surface of the head.Further, it is possible to drive the head by a drive being locatedoutside the head portion of the reaming device. In particular, thesecond shaft may be used for driving the head and the ablation device.However, instead of driving the head by the second shaft, it is possibleto drive the head, for example, by a driving unit being located in thehead of the reaming device. Such a drive may be, for example, a turbineplaced close to the head, which may be driven by pressured air, so thatthe pressured air is let through the first shaft to drive the turbine.The pressured air after leaving the turbine may also be used forremoving ablated tissue.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the second shaftis substantially concentric within the first shaft.

Thus, the outer surface of the shaft of the reaming device may be keptin a more or less constant position. In other words, when placing thesecond shaft within the first shaft, the first shaft may be kept fixed,wherein the second shaft may rotate to drive the head of the reamingdevice. Thus, vibrations and damages to the tissue surrounding the firstshaft as an entry channel of the target tissue may be avoided.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reamingdevice further comprises a third shaft, the third shaft being coupled tothe ablation device, wherein the third shaft being capable of modifyingthe variable geometry of the protruding amount of the ablation deviceprotruding beyond the surface of the head.

Thus, it is possible to remotely modify the geometry of the protrudingamount of the ablation device by a shaft, so that the reaming devicedimensions, in particular the diameter of the outer shell, may be keptlow.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the third shaftis substantially concentric within the second shaft.

Thus, the second shaft may rotate, wherein the third shaft may be keptfixed in order to modify the geometry of the protruding amount. However,it is also possible to rotate the third shaft. By providing a secondshaft and a third shaft, it is possible to divide the functions ofdriving the head with the ablation device and the modification of thegeometry by having two different mechanical components. However, thedriving of the head and the modification of the driving geometry eachmay be carried out by means of a micro turbine, as described above or anelectric micro-drive, so that the second shaft and the third shaft,respectively, may be replaced by e.g. an electrical connection. Further,the second shaft may be omitted, in case the third shaft is used forboth purposes at the same time, driving the head and for modifying thevariable geometry. In this case, the connection between the head and thefirst shaft should be pivoted and non-positive and force-fit,respectively, in the axial direction.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reamingdevice comprises at least one ablation wire protruding at leastpartially beyond the surface of the head through a through-hole withinthe head, wherein the third shaft being coupled with the ablation deviceand being axially movable with respect to the head.

Thus, it is possible to move the tip of an ablation wire to modify thegeometry of the protruding amount. The protruding amount corresponds tothe portion of the tip of the ablation wire, which extends beyond thesurface of the head. When providing a flexible ablation wire, thegeometry of the protruding amount and the radius of the operating areaof the reaming device may be modified in order to track a particulardiameter of a, for example, tubular cavity of varying diameter over thelength formed by the reaming device. The tip of the ablation wire may beprovided with a burr or an ablation tool in order to remove tissue.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the ablationdevice comprises at least one ablation element protruding at leastpartially beyond the surface of the head through a through-hole withinthe head, wherein the third shaft being coupled with the ablation devicevia a gear to modify the variable geometry of the protruding amountprotruding beyond the surface of the head.

Thus, the ablation elements may be formed of a non-flexible material inorder to provide a hard or rigid ablation element. Such rigid ablationelements are, for example, necessary if removing of hard tissue isdesired, for example, within bones.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the headcomprises at least one recess, and the reaming device further comprisesa conduit which conduit is connected via a first end to the recess toallow removal of ablated tissue.

Thus, it is possible to remove tissue from the operating area of thereaming device head so that ablated tissue does not remain in thecavity. Further, it is possible to deliver particular materials throughthe conduit to the head of the reaming device, for example,pharmaceuticals for treating the area of the cavity formed by thereaming device.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the conduit isformed by an inner wall of the first shaft and an outer wall of one outof the group consisting of the second shaft and the third shaft. Thus,the conduit may be formed as a concentric space between the shafts, sothat no further conduit outside the first shaft needs to be provided.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the head ispivoted around a longitudinal axis of the first shaft. Thus, the headmay be formed very slim in order to introduce the head of the reamingdevice through a bore hole or channel to the location to be treated withthe reaming device.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the head ismounted on a first end of the first shaft, and a second end of the firstshaft is mounted to a suction adapter. Thus, the removed ablated tissuemay be sucked via the suction adapter, which suction adapter may beconnected to a vacuum pump or the like.

It should be noted that the above features may also be combined. Thecombination of the above features may also lead to synergetic effects,even if not explicitly described in detail.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparentfrom and elucidated with reference to the embodiments describedhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in thefollowing with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal cross-section of a reaming deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal cross-section of a head portion of areaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of several components of the reamingdevice according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of assembled components of a reaming deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an assembled head portion of a reaming deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates the connection of the several shafts with the suctiondevice according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the suction device according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a further embodiment including a gear arrangementwithin a head according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 illustrates an assembled arrangement of the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a total view of the reaming device according to anexemplary embodiment of the invention. The reaming device has a headportion denoted with A, an operator portion denoted with B and a shaftportion between the head portion and the operator portion. The headportion will be inserted through an orifice or channel of the human bodyin order to remove or ablate tissue by means of ablation devices 50. Theoperator portion denoted with B remains outside the human body in orderto allow the operator to handle the reaming device. For example, it ispossible to remove the ablated tissue by sucking on a suction adapter ora suction device 2, when an operator handles the reaming device, inparticular the shaft 30 for modifying the geometry of the protrudingamount of an ablation device, which protrudes beyond an outer surface ofa head portion 40. The head 40 portion is mounted on to a first shaft10, in particular, the head is pivoted with respect to the first shaft10. In the shown embodiment, a second shaft 20 is providedconcentrically within the first shaft in order to drive the head 40. Thehead 40 is mounted to one end 18 of the first shaft 10, and with asecond end 19 of the first shaft 10, the first shaft is mounted to thesuction adapter 2. Thus, a reaming device 1 may be provided, whichallows an operator to modify the geometry of a protruding amount of anablation device by means, for example, of a third shaft 30.

FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed picture of a longitudinal cross-section ofthe head 40 of the reaming device 1. The head portion denoted with Acomprises a first shaft 10, a second shaft 20 being concentricallyformed within the first shaft and a third shaft 30 providedconcentrically within the second shaft 20 in the present embodiment. Thehead 40 may be mounted to the top portion 18 of the first shaft 10 bymeans of an adapter plug 102, which may also serve as a gasket or seal.The ablation device 50 may comprise, for example, an ablation wire 51,which protrudes with a protrusion a mount 55 beyond a surface 41 of thehead 40. The protrusion wire may extend through a hole or opening 42being formed in the head 40 of the reaming device 1. The head 40 may bepivoted or rotated around a longitudinal axis 13 of the shaft geometry,so that also the protruding amount 55 rotates in order to ablate tissue.The protruding amount 55 extends at least partially laterally in radialdirection 56 with respect to the longitudinal axis 13 of the device.However, the protruding amount 55 may also extend partially in alongitudinal direction 57, i.e. into the direction of the longitudinalaxis 13.

Further, openings 42, 43 may be provided in order to allow removal ofablated tissue. These openings 43, 42 may be provided close to theablation device 50 in order to allow removal of tissue immediately afterablating the tissue. The tissue may be removed by transporting theablated tissue through the conduit 70, wherein the conduit 70 isfunctionally connected with its first end 78 to the openings or recesses42, 43 to allow removal of the ablated tissue. The conduit may be formedby an inner wall 12 of the first shaft 10 and an outer wall 21 of secondshaft 20 or may be formed by an inner wall 12 of the first shaft and anouter wall 31 of the third shaft 30. The latter case is applicable incase there is no second shaft provided. The coupling of the second shaftto the head 40 may be provided via an adapter device 101.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the reaming device 1. The firstshaft 10 is provided with the bearing, sealing and/or grommet device102. The second shaft 20 is connected to the adapter device 101 in orderto provide a connection to the head 40. Within the second shaft 20,there is provided the third shaft 30 on top of which, a block 103 may beprovided in order to provide a reliable positioning of the ablationdevice 50. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the ablation devicecomprises two ablation wires 51. The ablation wires, or in general, theablation device 50, will be inserted into the head 40, so that theablation wires 51 extend through the recesses or holes 42. The recesses42 and 43 will serve for removal of the ablated tissue. A detailedgeometry can be seen from the longitudinal cross-section of FIG. 2 orthe perspective view of FIG. 4. It should be noted, that the number ofablation devices, e.g. ablation wires is not limited to the number oftwo, but may also be only one or alternatively more than two ablationdevices.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the assembled head portion ofthe reaming device 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the first shaft10 is connected to the head 40 via the device 102 serving as a sealing,bearing, and/or grommet. The adapter device 101 connects the secondshaft being provided concentrically within the first shaft 10, to thehead 40. The ablation wires 51 extend beyond the surface 41 of the head40 by a protruding amount 55.

The geometry of the protruding amount may be remotely modified by movingthe third shaft 30 for example in longitudinal direction, so that whenpushing the third shaft 30, the protruding amount 55 of the protrudingwires 51 will extend in a larger amount over the surface 41 of the head40. It should be noted that the modification may also be carried out bya relative rotating and a gear, e.g. a screw or worm gear (not shown).

Recesses 43 allow removal of the ablated tissue. Therefore, the recesses43 may be provided close to the protruding amount of the protrudingwires 51. The arrows illustrate the flow of the ablated tissue from theproximity of the ablation wire 51 through the head portion through therecesses or openings 43 into the conduit 70. The conduit 70 is formed bythe inner surface 12 of the first shaft 10 and the outer surface 21 ofthe second shaft 20. It should be noted that also the holes 42 throughwhich the ablation device is conducted may serve as a recess to removetissue.

It should be noted that the geometry of the ablation wires 51 may alsobe of a different geometry, in particular if modifying the tip geometrywith respect to the requirements of the ablation application.

FIG. 5 illustrates the head 40 with the ablation device 50 inserted intothe holes 42 of the head 40, here in form of ablation wires 51.

The ablation wires 51 extend at least partially in a lateral direction56 beyond the surface of the head 40, however they may also extend in alongitudinal direction 57. The block 103 restricts the movement of theablation device and constitutes the transit from the ablation wires 51to the third shaft 30.

FIG. 6 illustrates a suction adapter 2, which may be connected to theend portion 79 of the conduit 70. The suction adapter 2 comprises, forexample, a spout 105 to be connected to a vacuum pump, not shown. Thesecond shaft may be connected to a drive, wherein the bushing may besealed with a seal or grommet 104. The third shaft 30 may be formedconcentrically within the second shaft. The handling devices or thedriving devices for the second shaft 20 and the third shaft 30 are notshown.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the suction adapter 2 of FIG.6. The end portion 79 of the conduit 70 is connected to the body of thesuction adapter or suction device 2, so that the ablated tissue may beremoved by a suction process. The ablated tissue will move along thearrows through the spout 105. The position of the second shaft 20 and athird shaft 30 may be fixed by a screw 106.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment including a gear providing a connectionbetween the ablation device and the third shaft, not shown in FIG. 8.The ablation device shown in FIG. 8 comprises rigid or hard ablationtips or blades 52, which are pivoted mounted by a hinge 54 so that therotation of the ablation device 50 is not locked when hitting a rigidobstacle, for example, an implant or the like. The gear wheel portions200 engage into recesses 202 of a rod 204 which may be moved in thelongitudinal direction, and which may be directly connected to the thirdshaft for modifying the geometry (diameter) of the ablation device. Itshould be noted that the gear wheel portions rotate along an axisperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device when being operatedby the third shaft, which third shaft being moved into longitudinaldirection of the device, i.e. the shaft extension. The tips or blades 52of the ablation device 50 may rotate around a hinge 54, having arotational axis being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe device, if the device is in the position shown in FIG. 8. However,the rotational axis of the hinges 54 may be inclined, when the geometryof the ablating device 50 will be modified by moving the rod with therecesses along a longitudinal axis of the device. Similar to theprevious embodiments, there may be provided recesses or openings 43 inorder to remove tissue to be transported through the conduit 70.

FIG. 9 illustrates the device of FIG. 8 when being assembled with a headcover 40, so that the mechanical parts are covered to avoid injury ofthe surrounding tissue or to avoid damages of the mechanical components.

It should be noted that the term ‘comprising’ does not exclude otherelements or steps and the ‘a’ or ‘an’ does not exclude a plurality. Alsoelements described in association with different embodiments may becombined.

It should be noted that the reference signs in the claims shall not beconstrued as limiting the scope of the claims.

Although the invention herein has been described with reference toparticular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodimentsare merely illustrative of the principles and applications of thepresent invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerousmodifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that otherarrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A bone reaming device comprising: a firstshaft extending along an axis; a head having an outer surface; a secondshaft coupled to the head, the second shaft being rotatable with respectto the first shaft and being capable of rotatably driving the head withrespect to the first shaft; an ablation device comprising at least oneablation wire, the ablation device being movable with respect to thehead and the ablation wire being capable of protruding at leastpartially beyond the outer surface of the head through a through holewithin the head, wherein a protruding amount of the ablation wireprotruding beyond the outer surface of the head is variable by using aremote actuation device so that the geometry is remotely modifiable; anda third shaft being coupled to the ablation device, wherein the thirdshaft is axially moveable and capable of modifying the variable geometryof the protruding amount of the ablation wire protruding beyond thesurface of the head.
 2. The reaming device as set forth in claim 1,wherein the ablation device when protruding at least partially beyondthe outer surface of the head extends at least partially laterally of alongitudinal axis of the head.
 3. The reaming device as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the second shaft is substantially concentric andcoaxial within the first shaft.
 4. The reaming device as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the third shaft is substantially concentric within thesecond shaft.
 5. The reaming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein thethird shaft is coupled to the ablation device and being axially movablewith respect to the longitudinal shaft axis.
 6. The reaming device asset forth in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the head comprises atleast one recess, and the reaming device further comprises a conduit,which conduit is connected at a first end to the recess to allow removalof ablated tissue.
 7. The reaming device as set forth in claim 6,wherein the conduit is formed by an inner wall of the first shaft and anouter wall of one out of the group consisting of a second shaft coupledto the head and a third shaft coupled to the ablation device.
 8. Thereaming device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the head is rotatedaround a longitudinal axis of the first shaft by the second shaft, thesecond shaft mounted within the first shaft.
 9. The reaming device asset forth in claim 7, wherein the head is rotatably mounted on a firstend of the first shaft and a second end of the first shaft is mounted toa suction adapter.
 10. A reamer for forming a cavity in body tissuecomprising: a first rotatable shaft extending along a longitudinal axis;a cutting head mounted at a first end of the first rotatable shaft, thehead having at least one opening therein extending laterally of thelongitudinal shaft axis; a stationary second shaft on which the cuttinghead is rotatably mounted, the second shaft surrounding the firstrotatable shaft; a cutting element mounted within the first rotatableshaft and having a first end extending through the opening in the headand a second end coupled to an actuator mounted adjacent a second end ofthe shaft; and a third shaft axially movable and coupled to the cuttingelement, the actuator being capable of moving the first end of thecutting element within the opening of the head and laterally of an outerhead surface while the rotatable shaft is rotating, wherein the cuttingelement comprises at least one ablation wire.
 11. The reamer as setforth in claim 10 wherein the head has an opening in communication withan interior portion of the second shaft.
 12. The reamer as set forth inclaim 11 wherein a suction device is connected to the second shaft andis in communication with the opening in the cutting head whichcommunicates with the interior of the second shaft.